Ingredients
| EGG WRAPPERS (MAKES 15) | |
| 150g plain flour, sifted | |
| 150g tapioca flour, sifted | |
| 6 eggs, lightly beaten | |
| ½ teaspoon salt | |
| a little less than 2 cups cold water (about 480ml) | |
| 1½ tablespoons oil, plus a little extra to fry | |
| FILLING | |
| 500g whole, unpeeled raw prawns | |
| 1½ tablespoons oil | |
| 2 slices fresh ginger | |
| 4 cloves garlic, peeled, finely chopped | |
| ¼ cup tau cheo (a salty, savoury, fermented soybean paste) | |
| 500g belly pork, boiled until tender, sliced, cut into small strips | |
| 170g firm tofu | |
| 200g shredded bamboo shoots | |
| 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce | |
| 1 teaspoon light soy sauce | |
| 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or plain sugar) | |
| GARNISHES | |
| ½ - ¾ cup ketchup manis (also known as kecap manis) | |
| 50g fresh garlic, minced | |
| 5 fresh red chillies, deseeded, minced | |
| 15 cos lettuce leaves, rinsed, the mid rib removed from each leaf | |
| 3 tablespoons deep-fried garlic | |
| 3 tablespoons deep-fried onions | |
| ¾ cup blanched bean sprouts, drained | |
| 1 cucumber, skinned, finely shredded | |
| 1 cup fresh coriander leaves, picked, stems removed | |
| 2 Chinese sausages, steamed, thinly sliced |
This is my grandmother’s recipe and evokes home for me. Our family made poh piah on special occasions, and my parents must have also made tens of thousands of poh piah to raise funds for our church when I was growing up. Here’s the thing – there are spring rolls and then there is Nonya poh piah. This is a fresh, soft spring roll with savoury-sweet bamboo-shoot filling and many garnishes, all wrapped in the thinnest, silky smooth, hand-thrown egg skin. One bite and the eyes close for a second; there is a tiny intake of breath followed by a wee smile.
The chatter that goes with the DIY poh piah party vibe is fabulous, and the dish looks spectacular on the table. The host demonstrates and everyone follows. It pays not to overfill the roll or the skin will burst, but you can always have another. It’s messy and happy, completely unsuited to white tablecloths, and it’s best to have heaps of paper napkins on hand!
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Instructions
| 1. | EGG WRAPPERS |
| 2. | Put all the ingredients in a bowl then whisk until smooth (you can also use a food processor). |
| 3. | Rest for 5 minutes before making the wrappers. |
| 4. | Using a pastry brush, lightly oil a non-stick frying pan and place over a medium heat. |
| 5. | Ladle in ¼ cup batter, swirl it around to cover the base of the pan and cook over a medium heat until the top is set, about 2 minutes. |
| 6. | Flip the wrapper out by inverting the pan over a plate, then lay a sheet of baking parchment on top. |
| 7. | Repeat until all the batter has been used. |
| 8. | Cover the wrappers with a cloth until required. |
| 9. | FILLING |
| 10. | To prepare the prawns, put the whole unpeeled prawns in a large pot, cover with water and bring to the boil. |
| 11. | Cook until just pink then remove from the heat and use tongs to remove the prawns into a colander – keep the liquid warm. |
| 12. | Peel the prawns, putting their shells back into the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. |
| 13. | Strain, reserving the prawn stock, discarding the shells. |
| 14. | Slice half the peeled prawns along the spine and set aside for garnish and cut the rest into small chunks. |
| 15. | Heat the oil in a pot and stir fry the ginger for 30 seconds. |
| 16. | Add the chopped garlic and tau cheo and sauté for a few minutes until fragrant. |
| 17. | Add the pork and fry for a couple of minutes, then add the prawn chunks and tofu and cook for another 2-3 minutes stirring frequently. |
| 18. | Add the bamboo shoots and enough prawn stock to keep the mixture moist and cook for a further 10-15 minutes until the juices infuse the ingredients. |
| 19. | Season with the soy sauces, palm sugar and salt and pepper if required. |
| 20. | Remove the mixture from the heat and leave to cool before assembling the spring rolls. |
| 21. | GARNISHES |
| 22. | Assembly is DIY and so much fun! |
| 23. | Arrange all the garnishes on a platter, with condiments and sauces in small bowls. |
| 24. | Place an egg wrapper on a plate. |
| 25. | Smear the middle of the top half lightly with one teaspoon (or more if you like) ketchup manis, some minced garlic and ground chilli to taste. |
| 26. | Lay a lettuce leaf on the bottom half of the wrapper and top with some filling and a little of the remaining garnishes. |
| 27. | Roll up tucking in both sides. |
| 28. | The poh piah can be sliced into 4-5 bite-sized pieces or left whole if you prefer. |
Recipes & food styling Ginny Grant Photography Aaron McLean Styling Jessica Crowe